41 weeks

I don't know how to turn the counter off, but it should stop today at 41 weeks. I've been awake since 4.15. The alarm will go off at 5.45 to get us up so that we can start getting ready to go to the hospital. I need to be there at 7.30 to start the process. Luckily we can drop the kids off at daycare at 6.30 so we have plenty of time to make the drive up 395 to Alexandria.

It is still hard to believe that later today Maximilian will be here.

Yesterday was a really nice day. It was great to have a little extra time to spend with Mark. And we had a low key day of doing little things around the house. And then Mark took us all out to dinner at Red Robin to celebrate our last night as a Family of Four. After today, there will be 5 of us. It just doesn't seem real. But yet with Max kicking around, I know it must be true. :)

One last day...

I decided to start my maternity leave today. That gives me today to rest and nap. And also to try to finish nesting. There are things I would like to get done. But on the other hand, if all I do is nap then that will be good enough as well. Mark agreed to stay home with me today too. Which is nice, because I feel very emotionally needy at the moment and I didn't really want him to not be where I was. So today is our last day to be at home by ourselves. Tomorrow morning we will go to the hospital and Max will be born. It seems more than a little scary to know that such a big change is coming. I guess it says something about pregnancy that I can be almost 41 weeks pregnant and still in some sort of denial about a baby being the end result of all of this. :)

I'm glad to have this day of rest to get prepared.

Unless he decides to show up today. Which would be fine by me. :)

Questions kids ask...

I will try not to be disturbed by seeing that I am 40 weeks and 4 days pregnant... I know it it be true, but it isn't necessarily nice to see it in black and white...

Julian had some fun questions for me this morning:
This morning Julian said he is worried that it isn't safe for me to be home alone. Max might come and no one would be here. I told him Matt is home and lives nearby or I could call 911 or I could call Mark. He asked how far Mark's office was and I said 15-20 min and he said that wasn't bad.

He thinks Max will have hazel eyes like me and hopes Max will have dark hair like he does. He said he doesn't want to dye his hair. I said that was fine. He asked if people could have different color hair. We talked about Mark's hair being black and white but that mostly people have hair that is one color. I also told Julian that Max will most likely have blue eyes when he is born but they might change.

Julian also wanted to know if I would immediately be skinny again. I told him I would immediately be skinnier by the size of Max but that it would take a while for me to go back to my previous size. He seemed content with that answer. Funny enough he asked this question before I accidentally bumped into him with my belly during teethbrushing time.

There were some other general questions too. He asked about Max coming on Thursday. I said he would come on Thursday because the hospital would give me some medicine to help him come out. And that he needs to come out then because the placenta is what keeps Max healthy and it wouldn't necessarily do a good job after Thursday. He seemed content with that. And he asked if Max would come before then and I told him we didn't know. We just knew it would be no later than Thursday.

Still waiting...

The weekend was good. No contractions to speak of, but plenty of kicking from Max. We are making our plans with the assumption that Max will not arrive until Thursday. He might still surprize us. But we are planning for Thursday. My folks should be able to get the kids on Friday afternoon and watch them for us for the weekend until Max and I get discharged from the hospital. Mark will be staying with us the whole time.

Feeling sick...

Last Sunday I was really sick and we were hopeful that it was a sign Max was coming soon. It wasn't. Today I am feeling really sick again. And again hopeful that it is a sign that Max will arrive soon.

I am happy to report that I can now breathe through my nose sometimes. Not all the time. But sometimes. And that is a huge improvement.

I am feeling better about having a date for being induced. It is good to know that no matter what Max will be out by this time next week. And we are working on plans to deal with Nik and Julian over the weekend if Max comes early. If we make it to Monday without having Max then we are back to relying on kindercare and school to take care of the kids for the bulk of the day. That makes me feel much better, since I am worried about asking too much of my friends who are willing to take care of the kids while we are at the hospital.

I'm going to try to rest and relax as much as possible today to see if I can start feeling better. Being very still seems to help. I got the kids off to kindercare so there is no where else I need to go today. So there is no need to move off the couch unless I want to. I can sit here with my laptop on my lap and be productive.

Induction Scheduled

Max was given his eviction notice today. If he doesn't choose to make a move on his own, I will be induced at 7.30am on Thursday. The nice thing about 3/27 is that it is our 5 month wedding anniversary. The bad thing is that it is a week from now. And he has done absolutely nothing to try to move out on his own. He's happy where he is. His head isn't even fully engaged yet. No dilation. No effacement. Nothing. He is just not ready to move out.

Maybe Charlotte is right. He's enjoying the cheesey pie too much and knows he won't get to have any for a long time after he is born.

So hard to know...

It is so hard to know if the contraction-like sensations I am feeling are real or Braxton Hicks. They are happening more and more frequently and they are lasting for longer periods of time. So maybe I am starting to have Max. But then again, I have had other cramp-like contraction-like sensations over the past few weeks and they were all nothing. So I don't know. But it is possible that Max has decided to make an entrance tomorrow and he is gearing up now. I'd like to think that my son would inherit some of my traits. Although I perhaps didn't want obsessive schedule obedience to be the key trait. :) I assume that Max will look mostly like Mark, since Mark's first two kids look so much like him. But I won't know until I see Max. And even then his looks could change in the first few months. My white-haired nephew was born with black hair. I was born with very dark hair. My brother had black hair. And we all have light colored hair now (although mine is only "golden" because of M. David and the magic of boxes of hair dye).

So in summary, it is possible that I am actually feeling real contractions. Also possible that it is all fakery on the part of my body. Just tormenting me with my lack of control and lack of information. :)

Still Waiting

I'm still feeling fine. And very happy about it. Max is still kicking around sometimes. And he had the hiccoughs earlier this morning. I've had a few little cramp-like sensations but nothing that says he is looking to make a move any time soon. But since I am back to feeling ok I am less concerned with his desire to stay put.

I still have a bit of a head cold but it seems to be clearing up without any major issues. I can't breathe, but my throat feels fine.

This morning Chloe was still very interested in being close to me and Mark when we were sleeping. She again came up to almost where our heads are in her quest for some snuggle time. But then when I was working earlier this morning she showed a complete lack of respect for me and Max. She jumped up on the right hand side of me and then decided that she wanted to sit on the arm of the chair on the left. So she just walked right on top of Max. I wish he had kicked her, but he was sleeping or resting or not interested in being hostile to the cat. So she got away with it. I was so surprized that I wasn't able to react. She is a funny cat.

My dentist appointment went well yesterday. Thanks to Max I avoided Xrays. How I hate them. And although Max has been changing my body chemistry and potentially sucking nutrients out of my teeth, I made it through the last 6 months with no issues. No cavities, no major issues at all. So all is well until I go back in 6 months and have to have the xrays done.

And now, time to get back to work...

No news...

I was quite sick over the weekend. The baby books said that hormone shift to prepare for work can cause queasiness. So I was hopeful. But now I feel better. And I have to say that I am totally fine with not feeling sick like that yesterday. From 11pm on Saturday to about 3pm on Sunday I wasn't able to keep anything down. It was not a fun time. But now I feel fine again. So I will go back to waiting and wondering. :)

Max is still plenty active, although he has seemed to slow down on his kicking. I think he is totally out of room in there. And all the books say that he should start kicking less as he runs out of room.

Time to get to work...

39 Weeks Down, 1 to go...

I had my check up today. I'm good. Max is good. Everything was fine. No real signs of progress, although clearly the baby is going to exit my body in the not too distant future. So all was well.

I asked which way Max was facing today. I had assumed (and I don't know why) that he would have his spine aligned with mine. So he would be facing front or facing back. But Max was facing sideways. His head is still down. His spine was along my right side with his butt under my ribs. His feet and hands are on my left side. He is still able to wiggle around and kick and punch and generally make a ruckus. He likes to push with his butt to try to make more room. It isn't really possible, but I guess he likes to try.

He was up against the steering wheel again today. I was able to scoot my seat back again to gain a little bit of room. So I can keep using my car. I do know that I can trade cars if needed, but I feel more comfortable in my car for the moment. My parking garage at work is small and weird, so I would rather be dealing with my tiny car than dealing with a bigger car that I would be worried about smushing.

I have been having a lot of contractions. They all seem to be Braxton Hicks contractions. So that is fine. They don't mean anything and they aren't doing anything. But they also are not terribly painful. Just uncomfortable. I have had a little bit of leg cramping at night but nothing too terrible. And Max seems to like to grind his head into my bladder which is less than exciting. But not a terrible problem. I'm still pretty mobile, although once I am down on the ground it is almost impossible to get back up. I can squat down briefly, like to put the yogurts in the fridge, but if it is more than a few seconds I am unable to stay squatting. If I opt to then sit down on the floor I definitely need help to get up. And not just Mark offering me one hand to help me get up. I need him to use both hands, put his feet against mine, and then lean back and haul me up.

Mark did try to install the carseat in the van. Unfortunately it did not fit. Because the seats in the van do not adjust backwards. So the carseat just doesn't fit. So he took the seat behind his seat out of the van and put the second row seat back in behind my seat. I can scoot my seat forward and the carseat can fit. We just can't do the same on his side because it will interfere with Mark's ability to drive. So we can make it work it just isn't the solution we had intended. And when we get a new van or car we will be sure to check out the car seat before we make a purchase!

Here's the 39 week update:
http://www.womenshealthcaretopics.com/pregnancy_week_39.htm
How Big is the Baby at 39 Weeks Pregnant?
By pregnancy week 39 your baby now probably weighs between 7 and 7 and a half pounds, and is likely between 21 and 21 and a half inches long during pregnancy 39 weeks!

Your Baby's Growth and Development
During week 39 it is common to have early signs of labor. During labor and delivery your baby's heart rate may be monitored. Fetal heart rate monitoring helps your healthcare team evaluate your baby during labor to make sure that everything is going as planned. If any problems arise they can be detected and hopefully adjusted for early on in labor.

Typically when your uterus contracts the oxygenated blood flow to your placenta is restricted. Because this is a natural process it will not be a problem for most babies. However, in some cases this can result in fetal distress. Fortunately a fetal monitor will be able to assess whether or not your baby is stressed.

Your healthcare provider can monitor your baby's heartbeat either through external fetal monitoring or internal fetal monitoring. External fetal monitoring can be used any time during labor. A belt with a receiver can be strapped onto your abdomen. It works much like ultrasound does in detecting a fetal heart rate, providing a little feedback strip that tracks your baby's heart rate during and in between contractions.

An internal fetal monitor may be used to assess your baby's heart rate as well. To do this an electrode would be placed on your baby's scalp inside the body. You need to be dilated at least 1 cm and your membranes must have ruptured in order to use this type of monitoring.

Your Growth and Development
You are probably starting to wonder what your baby looks like during pregnancy at 39 weeks if you haven't already. Since your belly isn't changing much at 39 weeks pregnant why not dwell on your newborn baby's looks! Will he look like you or your partner? Perhaps your baby will take on traits of your ancestors, resembling neither of you too closely!

One thing you will notice when your baby is born is that newborns look strange! Some people might say that is being nice, but there are those of us that truly believe the site of all newborns is simply beautiful.

Newborn babies of all types share several common features and characteristics. They typically have big heads, short or no necks, and distended abdomens. Most are born with a misshapen head that resembles a cone head, particularly if you were in labor for an extended period of time. Your baby's head will have soft spots called fontanels, which are openings in the skull that allow your baby's bones to compress during delivery. This is necessary for your baby's head to fit through the birth canal. Cute huh?

When your baby is born you may notice his genitals and breasts are swollen. This is due to a higher than normal dose of female hormones transferred from you to the baby right before delivery. Fortunately these 'irregularities' will disappear in the days following delivery.
Your baby's skin may be smooth as a baby's bottom, or you may find that your baby is born with acne or other red spots. This is perfectly normal. Some babies are born with a condition called pustular melanosis, which is little pus filled bumps on the skin.

Other babies are born with birthmarks. There are several different types of birthmarks. The more common include angel kisses and stork bites. Birthmarks may not show up immediately, but sometimes grow during the first few weeks of life. Others get smaller as your baby gets older.

Some baby's are born with red and blond hair even when both parents are dark haired. Keep in mind that regardless of your newborns hair color, there is a relatively good chance your baby's hair will change colors once or twice as they are growing. It isn't uncommon for a baby born blond to turn into a brunette.

Fortunately your baby's skin will start to clear up in a few weeks. You probably won't have to worry about acne or pimples again until the teenage years!

Changes in You
It's almost time to deliver at pregnancy 39 weeks! You have continued your pregnancy week by week and now you feel ready! Or, at 39 weeks pregnancy you may be feeling worried, anxious, excited and tired! Many women experience a variety of emotions after delivery. The more you are informed the better equipped you will be to handle them.

Once you deliver your baby your hormones will drop suddenly. This typically results in some postpartum distress. More than 80 percent of women in fact will report feeling some form of the blues immediately after birth. Remember that this is normal, and should subside in a short period of time.

Single Digits...

So I said I was going to avoid the baby blog today because it would say 9 days. But then I just had to post.

I am finishing my work day from home. I am on the couch with my feet up on the ottoman, trying to make the swelling manageable. Chloe jumped up on the couch on my right side. There isn't much room there today because when I sat down she was sleeping on the left side of the couch. And I just sat in the empty spot (aka Mark's spot). Because there was limited space, Chloe wanted to get to the other side. And I watched her as she had to really prep to jump over me. Because I am just that much bigger than usual. She made it. And she made it in one jump. I have to say I am stunned, because my cat is an idiot. She falls down when doing every day cat things. She doesn't know how to absorb any of the impact of a jump. But yet she made it over me and Max.

She is still being very clingy in general. She is letting Mark pet her a lot. She is sleeping as close to me as she can. When I woke up this morning (after sleeping for 7 hours! woo hoo!) she was sleeping as snuggled up with Max as was possible. And yet she doesn't seem to be sleeping on the glider, glider ottoman, changing table, or crib in Max's room.

In other Max's Room Updates, I got all of his clothes unpacked into the dresser. He is one lucky boy. And I can't wait to start dressing him up and taking pictures. :)

Dropped...

So Max has dropped. I thought it would be impossible to have to pee more than before. But I was wrong. I was up 5 times in the night. But conveniently (?) enough, I was already awake, so it was less of a struggle. I slept from 11.30 - 2am and then from 6-8am. I am not pleased. I feel like a zombie. I'm trying to eat myself awake. So far it isn't really working. Mark suggested a nap, but there is no time for a nap until about 6pm and at that point I may as well just stay up for 2 more hours and go to bed. I hope that tonight is a night when I catch up on sleep.

Tomorrow my office is doing a festive lunch for me. So that should be nice. It is hard to believe that this is my last week in the office. It is a little scary when I look at the blog count down and see 10 days. And know that today is the last double digit day...

I have been having some contractions today. Nothing regular. Just a couple here and there. But as each day goes by I feel like I need to do a better job of keeping track of when the contractions are coming. In case they start coming regularly. I'm pretty sure I'll notice when they are coming at more than one an hour. :)

We got a lot done this weekend. The to do list was very long. And still is quite long. But much was accomplished. Max has a dresser and some of his clothes are in it. The glider is upstairs with the gliding footstool and with a pillow decorating it (that will later be wedged under my arm). The van now has the bench seat in the back and the two booster seats are there. The baby car seat has been removed from the box. We have tried it out with the stroller. I know how to attach the car seat to the stroller, remove the carseat from the stroller, and how to fold up the carseat. Mark is going to install the carseat base into the van (hopefully today) and that will be one step closer to bringing Max home. I also packed 90% of the stuff for the hospital. I need a pair of slippers and a few other little things. Everything else is in either the bag that says Claire (for me during the birthing process), Max (for me and Max after I give birth), or in the diaper bag. I also received the little shirts for the kids to wear for their first photos and they have been washed in the baby detergent and are currently in the dryer. I also washed the maya wrap and set it to dry.

I am feeling better about our level of preparedness.

We even talked about the diaper service this morning. We know that we are going with Modern Diaper Service but we are going to wait a few weeks until we set up the delivery. We figure we will use up all the disposable diapers we got as gifts during the first few weeks and then switch him over to cloth after we are a little more used to the routine. And his umbilical cord should be taken care of by then too.

We continue to feel very very lucky as we look around his room and see all the many things that people have given or loaned us. I bought him some stuff and I made him some stuff, but 95% of what we have for Max was a gift or a loan. We feel overwhelmed by the generositiy of our friends and family. Thank you all.

38 Weeks

Today not only marks 38 weeks, but is also the 2 year anniversary of our first date. :)

I gained 1 pound over last week for a total of 19 pounds. Even Fudge of the Month can't make me have a crazy weight gain at this point! :)

Max and I had a check up today. Sadly today's doctor ruptured his achilles tendon on Valentine's Day so he has to use a little cart for his leg. I was impressed at how well he was able to get around. He was able to get from the wheeled leg cart to the wheeled doctor chair without falling on the ground. I don't know that I would have ever been able to do that.

The checkup was fairly uneventful. My blood pressure was good. Max is fine. His heartbeat was nice and strong. His heartbeat is on the right side of my body, but I don't know if that means anything. I guess I should have asked the doctor if that means he is facing out or facing backwards. Either way, he has started to drop, but he hasn't dropped very much. No signs of labor. Max is still very very active much of the time. My next checkup is next Thursday.

I'm still having trouble sleeping. And then I feel exhausted during the day because of the lack of sleep at night. I go to bed but I am uncomfortable. Ah well.

We still need to put together the new dresser for Max so that we can put his clothes away. But we got the Amby sheets washed and I put the sheet on the Amby today. So that is one more thing done and ready for his arrival. I'm working on another hat for him to match one of his smaller sweaters. I can't have him without a matching hat, right? :) I have also made a list of things I need to pack for the hospital but I haven't actually put the stuff into bags yet. I guess I'll have to get cracking on that...

And here is the 38 week scoop:
http://www.womenshealthcaretopics.com/pregnancy_week_38.htm
How Big is the Baby at 38 Weeks Pregnant?
Your baby is rapidly approaching 7 pounds during pregnancy at 38 weeks. The length will remain about 21 inches from now until birth even though you continue to develop during your pregnancy week by week.

Your Growth and Development
Your belly size will remain pretty constant from 38 weeks pregnant and beyond, though you may notice your belly appears lower than before, particularly if the baby has dropped a bit further into your pelvis.

Changes in You
At 38 weeks pregnant you may start to worry about the labor and delivery process. If you haven't already, you should visit the birthing facility you plan to deliver your baby at so you have time to find out where everything is.

Have you packed your hospital bag by pregnancy week 38? If you haven't you better sit down and do it today. You could go into spontaneous labor at any point in time as you continue your pregnancy week by week.

Milk Chocolate = Nutrition, right?

I am delighted to announce that the first shipment of Fudge of the Month arrived today. I have 4 kinds of fudge in one convenient box. I have tried the raspberry milk chocolate fudge. It was good. I have orange cream, chocolate amaretto, and milk chocolate fudge still to sample. And then I will sample them all again and again until they are gone and I have to wait for the next shipment to arrive. I figured the milk part of the milk chocolate fudge was going to be good for Max. So that made it a reasonable thing to post on the baby blog. :)

Also I would like to express my disgruntled-ness that J. Lo named her baby Max. That was my name. And she took it. Along with Christina. And several other famous people. I can't even be bothered to name them.

Max was the name that Mark and I picked out. We both liked it. And we are going to stick with it. I just hope there are not lots of other Max's out there when he is starting school.

I met with my boss today and she agreed that a week from Friday will be my last day in the office. I will work from home between then and Max's arrival. I will then be home for 4 weeks on leave. And then I will be working part time (3 hours a day, ideally) for the other 8 weeks of my FMLA time off. It is nice to have that sorted out.

So soon? So long?

So on the one hand it seems like I have been pregnant forever. And on the other hand it seems like Max is going to arrive so very very soon and in an unexpected kind of way. We know in our heads that he is due in a little more than 2 weeks. And 2 weeks seems like a long time to have to wait to get to know him. And on the other hand it seems like no where near enough time for us to finish getting ready!!!!

We got a dresser for him this weekend. I assembled the Amby Baby last night (except tightening the nut on the top). We need to assemble the dresser and put his clothes into it.

I ordered shirts for the kids from etsy.com. Tattletaledesigns is a super lovely lady who is making some super cute stuff for Max's arrival. I am delighted. I have been working on gathering stuff ready for packing for the hospital. I have a list. I think we own everything on the list.

But we still have tons of stuff in the wrong places. We need to move the glider upstairs into Max's room, but first we need to assemble the dresser because the glider will take up the space we need for the assembly process! And we need to move stuff out of the front room so that our guests/helpers have somewhere to sleep. And this includes moving all the stuff that was given to us with Nik and Julian's mother decided to move to NC. We have a van load of toys and clothes that need to be put somewhere... It is nice to have so much stuff for them, but not so nice to be faced with trying to find a place to store all the stuff when we were already operating on a slightly overloaded basis... Hopefully it won't take us long to take care of moving stuff around.

I was also able to get the all important hair dye appointment over the weekend. I can't have my first photos with Max include fair roots! So now my hair is evenly reddish. Yay for that. Yay for M. David!

I also made a tiny little hat for Max to wear in his first photo. It matches the blanket I made for him. I will also pack a number of cutie onesies for him in case that seems like a better photo opportunity. :) And I have one other hat that I think I would like to try to make for him if I have enough time in between prepping for his arrival and my other knitting projects...

37 weeks = Swiss Chard

Weight gain is now at 18 pounds. My blood pressure was fine. Max's heart beat was fine. Max is right on track for size. Max is also still head down. They did a check and I am not dialated or effaced or anything. The contractions are happening at a rate of a couple a day, but they are just for entertainment value. They are not a sign of anything starting to happen. I'm still uncomfortable and feel huge. Sleeping is increasingly difficult. Esp when the kids come in and ask me questions early in the morning instead of just letting me sleep! It is lucky that Mark is such a good sleeper since me turning on the light to read myself back to sleep doesn't bother him.

My group B strep test came back negative so that is good news. If it had been positive I would have needed to have anti-biotics during labor, but now I'm off the hook for that.

Nothing much else to report. Max is very active. And I'm just waiting for him to be cooked. My belly button is poking out more and more although not yet fully popped.

Here's the 37 week update:
http://www.babycenter.com/6_your-pregnancy-37-weeks_1126.bc
How your baby's growing:
Congratulations — your baby is full term! This means that if your baby arrives now, his lungs should be fully mature and ready to adjust to life outside the womb, even though your due date is still three weeks away.
Your baby weighs 6 1/3 pounds and measures a bit over 19 inches, head to heel (like a stalk of Swiss chard).
Many babies have a full head of hair at birth, with locks from 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inches long. But don't be surprised if your baby's hair isn't the same color as yours. Dark-haired couples are sometimes thrown for a loop when their children come out as blonds or redheads, and fair-haired couples have been surprised by Elvis look-alikes. And then, of course, some babies sport only peach fuzz.

How your life's changing:
Braxton Hicks contractions may be coming more frequently now and may last longer and be more uncomfortable. You might also notice an increase in vaginal discharge. If you see some "bloody show" (mucus tinged with a tiny amount of blood) in the toilet or in your undies, labor is probably a few days away — or less. (If you have heavier spotting or bleeding, call your caregiver immediately.) Also be sure to ask your caregiver about the results of your Group B strep culture. That way, if the result isn't yet on your chart when you get to the hospital or birth center, you'll be able to give the staff there a timely heads-up if you need antibiotics.
It may be harder than ever to get comfortable enough to sleep well at night. If you can, take it easy through the day — this may be your last chance to do so for quite a while. Keep monitoring your baby's movements, too, and let your caregiver know immediately if you notice a decrease. Though her quarters are getting cozy, she should still be as active as before.While you're sleeping, you're likely to have some intense dreams. Anxiety both about labor and about becoming a parent can fuel a lot of strange flights of unconscious fancy.

Surprising Facts: Signs of labor
There's no way to predict when labor is going to start. Your body actually starts "preparing" for labor up to a month before you give birth. You may be blissfully unaware of what's going on or you may begin to notice new symptoms as your due date draws near.
Here are some things that may happen in the weeks or days before labor starts:
• Your baby drops. If this is your first pregnancy, you may feel what's known as "lightening" a few weeks before labor starts as your baby descends lower into your pelvis. You might detect a heaviness in your pelvis as this happens and notice less pressure just below your ribcage, making it easier to catch your breath.
• You note an uptick in Braxton Hicks contractions. More frequent and intense Braxton Hicks contractions can signal pre-labor, during which your cervix ripens and the stage is set for true labor. Some women experience a crampy, menstrual-like feeling during this time.
• You pass your mucus plug. The mucus plug is the small amount of thickened mucus that blocks the cervical canal leading to your uterus. The plug may come out all at once in a lump, or as increased vaginal discharge over the course of several days. The mucus may be tinged with blood (which may be brown, pink, or red), in which case it may be referred to as "bloody show."
• Your water breaks. Most women start having regular contractions sometime before their water breaks, but in some cases, the water breaks first. When this happens, labor usually follows soon. (If contractions don't start promptly on their own, you'll be induced.) Whether the amniotic fluid comes out in a large gush or a small trickle, call your doctor or midwife.

How can I tell if I'm in false labor or true labor?
Sometimes it's very hard to tell false labor from the early stages of true labor. Here are some things that might help you sort it out:
• False labor contractions are unpredictable. They come at irregular intervals and vary in length and intensity. Although true labor contractions may be irregular at first, over time they start coming at regular and shorter intervals, become increasingly more intense, and last longer.
• With false labor, the pain from the contractions is more likely to be centered in your lower abdomen. With true labor, you may feel the pain start in your lower back and wrap around to your abdomen.
• False labor contractions may subside on their own, or when you start or stop an activity or change position. True labor contractions will persist and progress regardless of what you do.

Belly button

My belly button has not yet popped out. But I think it will soon. It is showing definite signs of pooching out...

Today as I was waiting in line at McDs for some emergency lunch food, a stranger said Congrats to me. I was so focused on needing to eat and so not expecting a guy to comment to me about my pregnancy. I was startled. And then as I was getting my drink two women looked at me and asked somewhat incredulously "when are you due?!?" When I said 3 weeks they said I had a long way to go. I guess that is a good thing?

Tomorrow is an all day meeting at work. I have a bad attitude about it. It just seems overwhelming to me to sit in a chair and focus all day. I won't have a way to put my feet up. And it is an all day thing. I am not sure I can make it through all that...

Meanwhile the last of the baby clothes are in the washing machine. Almost everything Max owns has been washed with the special baby detergent. Within 90 minutes everything should be clean and dry and ready for him. Now I just have to find a place to keep it all. :)

It is starting to seem more real...

So tonight was the last night of knitting class. Max is due in exactly 4 weeks. Knitting classes go for 5 weeks. So this was the last knitting class that I will see to the end. Next week a new class will start but Max will arrive before they finish their 5 week session. And I won't be able to help out with the classes for quite a few weeks. That makes it seem all the more real. I'm going to have a baby and my life is going to change. I know that. But in some ways it also seems like I am just going to be pregnant forever. I've been pregnant for so long. And I have tried not to focus on having a baby since that seemed like a good way to drive myself crazy while waiting and waiting and waiting for it to be time for Max to arrive. But now we are down to less than a month. Max could arrive at any point during that month or after that. And when he does, things will change. Concrete specific things. There are the general things like still not being able to sleep. But there are other things like not being able to teach knitting class. It will all be worth it to have Max here. But I guess it is good there is such a long adjustment period. I am sure that nothing will be able to prepare me for what comes next. But at least there is a good long time for me to try to prepare myself. :)

36 Weeks

I had my 36 week checkup today. Max is still doing very well. His heart rate was good. His size was exactly on target. And he's still very active. I also got a good review today. My blood pressure was down from last week. I weighed myself this morning and I was actually down a pound from last week for a total gain of 14 pounds. At the doctor's office I showed a gain but that was after lunch so I'm not concerned about that. I always weigh myself at the same time of day so I think my measurement is more accurate. The doctor today was one of my favorites so I'm glad she was the one Mark got to meet during an appointment. She also said that her estimate is that Max will be 7.5 pounds when he is born. I like that answer better than last week's doctor's estimate! She says there is no reason to expect that Max will be extra large. My low weight gain is also another sign that he isn't likely to be a monster baby.

Because tomorrow marks 36 weeks, Max is now considered full-term. If I go into labor right now they will not try to stop my labor. I'm clear to give birth whenever Max feels ready. He has not dropped yet, so it probably won't be any time soon. :)

I like to think that all of the extra Easter candy I have been eating is a factor in losing a pound. And that I should eat even more Easter candy this week to see if I lose another pound. Even if my theory is wrong I will get to eat lots of delicious Easter candy. Creme eggs, cadbury's mini eggs, russell stover vanilla cream eggs. It is all just so delicious.

I took a little bit of video of Max moving around inside me yesterday. I'm working on posting them to YouTube for your viewing pleasure. He's a very active little boy. Although I am eager to meet him, I will miss feeling him kick around.

I'm still having trouble sleeping. And when I wake up my hips and back just ache and ache. It is very hard for me to walk across the bedroom in the morning. Luckily by the time it is going-to-school time I am usually able to walk again. And I'm fine most of the day. By evening I feel tired and a bit achy again. It is hard for me to fall asleep and I wake up frequently and have trouble getting back to sleep. I know that I won't be sleeping a lot after Max arrives, but there is still something to be said for being able to sleep face down without having someone kick you to tell you he is being crushed!

Here's the 36 week update:
http://www.womenshealthcaretopics.com/pregnancy_week_36.htm
How Big is the Baby at 36 Weeks Pregnant?
By 36 weeks pregnant your baby is now right about 6 pounds and is about 20.6 inches or more long! Your little one will soon enter the ranks of heavyweight champs as you continue pregnancy week by week and he approaches delivery!

Your Baby's Growth and Development
Your baby is still working on putting on weight during pregnancy week 36. While that may not seem very exciting, keep in mind this is his primary job from now until delivery. Round babies are healthy babies. This is probably the one time in your baby's life they can put on pounds with wild abandon. If you were to peak inside your womb, you'd probably see your baby giddy with glee.
Did you know that some researchers believe your baby actually releases a signal to trigger labor? There are actually several different theories. Some believe that when your baby's brain is completely mature it sends a signal to the fetal adrenal glands. These glands then start to secrete the hormone cortisol, which may alter the metabolism of estrogen and progesterone, resulting in labor.
Other researchers have postulated that the fetal lungs secrete signals indicating they are mature, as well as enzymes that result in the release of prostaglandins, which help the cervix ripen and help the uterus to contract. This is highly likely as the body does release prostaglandins around the time of birth.

Your Growth and Development
You are round and beautiful during pregnancy 36 weeks. Your uterus during pregnancy at 36 weeks is now more than 5 and a half inches from your navel. You may think you simply can't get any bigger by pregnancy at 36 weeks, but don't forget you still have four weeks of growing left! Some women may even have a little bit more!
The capacity of the uterus and abdomen to stretch during pregnancy is truly a remarkable phenomena. At no other time will the body transform at such a rapid rate than during pregnancy. Amazingly, while it takes nine months for the uterus to stretch to several times its normal size during pregnancy, by your six week checkup it will be back to its normal pre-pregnancy size already.

Changes in You
You are probably getting more and more anxious for delivery by 36 weeks pregnant. You probably still have a good 4 to 5 weeks to go however even at 36 weeks pregnant, particularly if this is your first pregnancy. Full term is defined as gestation between 37 and 41 weeks. That means your baby could come any time between then and that would be perfectly normal.
While some women hope and pray that their baby will come early by pregnancy week 36, the vast majority actually come a little later than we expect. Relatively few women actually deliver on their exact due date, though many do in the days just before or just after.
The level of amniotic fluid in your belly is relatively constant. Your baby will actually swallow a certain volume of amniotic fluid each day during pregnancy. Typically your baby will go on to excrete this fluid as urine. There is a balance between your baby swallowing the amniotic fluid and the baby excreting the fluid as urine that is maintained each and every day.
If this balance is not maintained the amount of fluid in your womb will increase or decrease significantly, causing a condition called polyhydramnios or oligohydramnios respectfully. These conditions are relatively rare though it may affect up to 8 percent of pregnancies. Abnormal amniotic fluid volume is more common in the third trimester than in the second though it can occur at any time. Your healthcare provider will be able to measure your baby's amniotic levels via ultrasound during your pregnancy if he suspects abnormal amniotic fluid volume.
If you are feeling a bit clumsy lately, you aren't alone. When was the last time you saw your toes? One of the best things you can do for yourself in the last few weeks of pregnancy is go for a light swim. Swimming is wonderful during the last half of pregnancy, if for no other reason that it renders you practically weightless, which can relieve a lot of the pain and stiffness you might experience in the last half of pregnancy.
Remember however to stay away from the hot tub until after delivery. You can however enjoy a warm bath as well during the last half of pregnancy. Many women actually climb into the tub during the early phase of labor to help relieve some of their discomfort.
Whether this is your first pregnancy or last, take a few moments to savor the feeling of your baby moving about your belly. There simply is nothing quite like it, and in the grand scheme of things pregnancy is just nine short months of the long journey of life. Your newborn baby will eventually grow into a teenager and then an adult. Before you know it you will look back on these days of bloating, weight gain and fatigue with awe and longing!

Nik's latest question

So this morning on the way to school Nik was again asking about Max being in my tummy. We made a decision at the start of my pregnancy to not delve into the details of where Max is. Tummy was good enough for two young boys.

Nik's questions today started with the standard questions about what Max is doing. Is he growing in my tummy? Is he not yet ready to come out? The standard questions I get on a regular basis. He likes to know if Max is awake or if Max is sleeping and growing so that he can get bigger so that he can be born.


Today we had a new question... Will I be sick when Max is born? Apparently Nik thinks that I will be puking Max up out of my tummy when he is ready to be born.